In all my years packaging Costa Rica, the single greatest challenge has always been rental cars. Less reputable companies run damage scams. Some overbook. Others do not have replacement vehicles if there is a problem, or offer proper support. Some just have old beat up cars.
Companies come and go. I worked with one company for years. We had a fantastic relationship with them. They were even my landlord, when we operated a satellite office in Quepos (Manuel Antonio) in the early 2000’s. They were exceptional. Until they weren’t.
The company changed hands, and they became pretty awful. They were sold to a company that owned multiple rental agencies. Suddenly, I didn’t know the people I was working with. We started getting customer complaints about missing pick ups, the condition of the vehicles, overcharging, etc.
We had been sending our “overflow” guests to another company. We made them our principal vendor, and have worked with them now for at least 15 years. They have been stellar.
This is were working with a tour operator is important. A tour operator has a relationship with the rental car company. We often offer lower rates that the car company offers on their own website. And you have this in writing, on your voucher at pick up. So no surprises. We know that they have good cars, and they don’t run scams.
Things to consider when renting a car in Costa Rica:
A good rental car is essential for a positive travel experience. Look at it this way. A family spends $2000.00 on airfare. Say you spend another $2000.00 on hotels and tours. This means you are paying several hundred dollars a day to be there. When you factor in what you pay for hotels and airfare, paying an extra $100 for a week of is not much in the whole scheme of things. A dependable and well maintained vehicle is the one thing that impacts your whole experience.
How new are these vehicles? The roads can be tough on rental cars to begin with, and customers tend to drive them harder than they would a vehicle they actually own. Rental cars have a short shelf life. This is important. The better rental car companies tend to buy brand new vehicles, and turn them over before they put too many miles on them. Turnover like this is expensive.
The cars are sold at auction, often to other rental car companies. So a car that one company deemed too old for their customers, becomes the newest car on the lot at another company. This is something to consider if two companies are offering what appears to be the same model and the same year at vastly different prices.
Are they going to honor the quoted rate and insurance? This is a big one. The forums are rift with stories of being quoted low ball prices, only to find out there are lots of fees. Or the insurance isn’t included. They have you at a disadvantage. None of the companies have cars on the airport property. If you are flying in, they take you to an offsite office. You find yourself standing their with your luggage and family, and are suddenly seeing all of these extra charges add to your rental. You don’t have many options. Most people will just cave. You just want to get going on your vacation.
Are you going to have a problem with false damage claims? Other than the company’s own testimonials, what kind of references do they have? It is difficult to challenge a foreign credit card charge. What recourse do you have if there is a problem? A few years ago, there were lots of reports of rear floor mats missing, and the guests being charged. There seemed to be rash of rear floor mats stolen. Who looks at the rear floor mats? But again, you have a flight to catch. So you pay and move on.
Will they accept any credit card coverage that your credit card offers? There is a government mandated liability insurance that you must buy. But sometimes you can waive the additional coverage if this is offered by your credit card company. Though we get a discount on the insurance too,
How many offices does the company have? If you break down in the boonies, is there support close by? What if you break down at night, will someone answer the phone?
It is something to think about when your rental car is broken down in Northern Guanacaste. A large national company will get you a replacement from Liberia in an hour or two. It might be difficult to get anyone on the phone at a small company that only has a few cars. And they may be hours away.
I have seen one of the companies that I deal with bring a replacement car on a flatbed truck up the mountain to Monteverde, AFTER DARK. That’s worth $100.00. Anyone who has driven that road in the daylight will agree!
This is where postings in the travel forums or an experienced Costa Rica tour operator is important. You cannot make this decision based on price alone. A US badged company is also not a guarantee. Many of these are smaller companies paying a franchise fee. Educate yourself as much as possible. This is one case of getting exactly what you pay for.
Not to blow my horn. But working with a tour operator is one way to avoid this.